Installing an Under Sink Filter

A simple filter can reduce the amount of sediment in tap water and improve the water's odor and taste.

Local water conditions vary, so check with a home center or hardware store to see which filter will work best for you. Most carbon-based units make water more palatable.

If your water is excessively hard, have a water softener company install and perhaps maintain a water softener.

The unit shown here purifies all the cold water that runs through a kitchen faucet. Also available is a unit that has its own faucet for a separate source of filtered drinking water.

For an easy-to-install alternative, consider a faucet-mounted water filter. Some purify all the water flowing through the spout, while others have a separate valve that allows you to choose filtered or unfiltered water. Both screw onto the faucet in place of the aerator.

Connect the lines to the stop valve and spout according to the manufacturer's instructions. Compression fittings make these connections easy. Water will now run through the filter before reaching the spout.